By Amy Samin
In round 30 of the Israeli Winner Sal League, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv defeated Kiryat Gat 92-84. Trevor Mbakwe led Maccabi's scorers with 17 points and 8 rebounds, Dagan Yivzori and Yogev Ohayon scored 16 points each. Richard Hendrix (8 rebounds), Sylven Landesberg, and Itay Segev scored 9 points each, and Gal Mekel made an impressive 16 assists.
Maccabi's starters were Richard Hendrix, Itay Segev, Gal Mekel, Sylven Landesberg, and Taylor Rochestie. The start of the game was close, with points from Rochestie, Mekel, and Segev making it 6-6 after two and a half minutes. The visitors took control of the momentum, taking a small lead and holding it despite points by Hendrix, Trevor Mbakwe, and Segev; halfway through the period Kiryat Gat held a 17-14 lead. Ohayon scored from all over the court, but the period ended with Maccabi trailing 29-25,
Three points from Hendrix and a triple from Dagan Yivzori put Maccabi on top 31-29 a minute and a half into the second quarter. Kiryat Gat stayed close, but Maccabi's Israelis dominated, with Ohayon, Yivzori, and Segev making it 43-40 with four minutes left in the half. Mekel added points and Yivzori scored five straight to put Maccabi's lead in double digits, 50-40. Dragan Bender scored off a behind the back pass from Mekel, Yivzori added more points from downtown, and Mekel scored a bucket and one to end the half with Maccabi up 58-42.
Kiryat Gat showed signs of getting back in the game as the second half began, but Mbakwe scored five straight to make it 63-48 after three minutes. A three pointer from the left corner by Sylven Landesberg, and points from Hendrix and Segev increased the lead to 73-60 with two minutes left. A run by the visitors changed the tempo, and the quarter ended with Maccabi holding a 76-69 lead.
Tapiro and Kiryat Gat completed their comeback, tying the score at 76 three minutes into the fourth quarter. Mbakwe and Ohayon put the lead back in Maccabi's hands, 82-76 halfway through the period, but the game remained close until Mbakwe, Landesberg, and Mekel built the lead back into double digits, 90-80 with a minute and a half left in the game and from there the visitors could not come back. In the end, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv defeated Kiryat Gat 92-84 in round 30 of the Israeli Winner Sal League.